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Adjuvant intratympanic steroid therapy in sudden sensorineural hearing loss

Sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL) means abrupt hearing loss by 30dB affecting three consecutive frequencies within 72 hours. This is treated by high tapering doses of systemic steroids, the role of which is controversial and fraught with possible complications in...

Endoscopic findings and prediction of outcome in unilateral vocal cord paralysis

Unilateral vocal cord paralysis which is not due to irreversible causes such as malignancy, systemic disease or trauma varies considerably in terms of full recovery and restoration of voice. Usually electromyography is used to make possible predictions, but this facility...

Rare, aggressive pituitary adenomas

This is a review article on published cases of the rare Crooke’s pituitary adenoma. These tumors are usually invasive and may be clinically aggressive; they may be endocrinologically silent or may produce adrenocorticotropic hormone causing Cushing’s disease. They often recur...

Ultrasound assessment of metastatic disease

This Japanese study of 10 patients over 15 years, assesses the role of ultrasonography in assessing metastatic disease to the thyroid gland, specifically renal clear cell carcinoma (RCCC). Whilst uncommon, the authors state that there is a favourable prognosis when...

The stigma of HPV in oral cancer

The increase of oropharyngeal carcinoma (OPC) in the developed world seems to be largely caused by infection with the human papillomavirus (HPV). HPV is a group of 150 DNA viruses that are common and most people will be infected at...

The unknown primary again

In this retrospective study of 35 patients, the authors followed a systematic protocol for the detection and management of malignant cervical lymph nodes without an apparent primary lesion. Although their one, three and five year survival results are consistent with...

Malignant craniopharyngiomas

Craniopharyngiomas are successfully managed with surgery and / or adjuvant chemoradiotherapy. The transnasal endoscopic route has become increasingly utilised in the management of these challenging tumours. This paper reviews 23 cases from the literature of the rarely reported malignant transformation....

Resection margins in head and neck surgery

Although an increasing proportion of head and neck malignancies are treated with non-surgical modalities, when surgery is undertaken an incomplete clearance results in significantly worse prognosis. However, the intraoperative assessment of an adequate margin is difficult. The personal practice of...

Back to the Future

Normally my objective for this column is to highlight an innovation that is already fully realised and on the market. Sometimes it can be fun instead to look forward to what innovations are coming down the pipeline. With that in...

RogerVoice

For the deaf and hard-of-hearing, communication over the telephone can range anywhere from challenging to downright impossible. While many people who are hearing impaired are able to converse over the phone with the help of hearing aids, those who cannot...